Sharp lights cut through your vision, screams of trumpets, pounding of drums, roars of the crowd leaves your head thumping, but all you can do is cheer for your team and have a kind of fun that is only really fun in the moment. Such is how one feels in the stands at Grisham Stadium. Headache forgotten, a buzz of energy keeping you from passing out, someone bumps into you, and you fall but it doesn’t matter because everyone has just fallen over each other anyway, too excited from their team scoring. 

You fall onto soft grass, your friend helping you up. Music from a local band plays loudly while laughter echoes still through the tall covered area out in the Carrollton amphitheater. Surrounded closely by people on all sides, shoulder to shoulder, you should feel anxious, but the smiles on everyone’s faces, the friendly conversations, and the soulful music compels you to feel comfortable as yourself in this instant.

The sharp overhead lights in the stadium provide an environment that supports the competitive nature in us. It lights a playing field whilst simultaneously lighting a fire in the fans. The sharp lighting combined with striking contrast with colors and sounds from the home and visitors stands facing each other as if in standoff produces an environment that fosters friendly(and not so friendly) competition. The metal benches and uncomfortable folding seats also invite fans to stand, further increasing the level of restlessness.

Meanwhile, the soft curves, draping roof overhangs, and fluffy grass promote a more intimate and relaxed setting. The live music from local performing artists helps give the amphitheater a more casual feel. Additionally, the singing, dancing, laughter, and all sorts of easygoing behavior, makes for an environment that pushes overall happiness and community over competition in Grisham Stadium. The colored lighting, softer than the bright fluorescents in the stadium, also brings a softer feeling to the amphitheater.

The feelings that one feels in each of these places is created through not only the people, but the architecture, and the environment as well. Both the stands at Grisham Stadium and the Carrollton amphitheater provide a setting for entertainment, but while they have the same purpose, how they can make you feel is completely different.

Now, although we see all of these differences, these areas are not so dissimilar. They both promote community, having fun in their own ways, and music that brings the vibe of a setting way up. So who’s to say how different they are when, ultimately, they both bring good times.